Cooking in the rain – It’s better to be dry

Cook under cover to stay dry
Cook under cover to stay dry

Going on a camping trip is great, and for many people, it is the only way to travel. Some spend months on the road moving from one campsite to another and adjusting their everyday life to different conditions.

The beauty of camping is that it allows you to be free and do everything you do at home but in a more creative way. So, don’t let your plans get spoiled by a sudden change in weather, trapping you inside the tent or even worse, forcing you to pack everything and go back home because you can’t cater for yourself and anyone else with you.

 

 

By packing certain items that can help you protect your campsite from the rainfall, your cooking activities will have the minimum of disruption. On the contrary, cooking can be more fun and make your trip an amazing experience.

 

Cooking outside is nearly always a pleasure, but cooking outside while it rains, can cause many difficulties, but don’t let the downpour spoil your vacation or your weekend, prepare the right items and enjoy your meal while listening to the rain.

The first thing you should do to make sure you have a successful meal is to have your food items packed in plastic bags that can be sealed. This way the food will stay dry and safe from the rain. It’s better to have lightweight ingredients that are easy to carry around if you are backpacking.

Make sure that your lighter, matches or firestarter are safe and away from water in a waterproof container.

 

zipper bag 
zipper bag 

Choose the campsite wisely and carefully. Stay away from places where there is a possibility of a landslide or water drainage. A flooded tent is the last thing you need while camping, so keep to the higher ground.

 

 

Bring a tarp that you can tie between trees and use as a shelter that will keep you and your food dry and also give you an area to sit and work under.  Place a pole in the center to raise it up and let the water run off the sides. This way you can use your cooking stove or a grill safely.

 

Tarp covered area
Tarp covered area

Make sure that all your things are inside the tent and covered with waterproof material. You don’t want to lose any expensive gadget or risk your food getting wet.

Dealing with pouring rain on a campsite is not the time to be a Gourmet chef. Choose a simple meal that does not need a lot of preparation and time, there’s plenty of tasty and healthy meals that are easy to cook.

 

 

Get all your ingredients and gear needed to cook ready inside the tent so that you can just carry it out to your cooking area.

To start a fire with wet woods is hard work, but it’s not impossible. Get a sharp knife and strip away as much wet wood as possible until you get to the dry layers. With a striped kindling, you can start a small fire and then use it to dry the bigger wood pieces. If you’re proficient with an axe, it can save a lot of time.

Alternatively, use a camping stove that can run on petrol or gas, you need to make sure you’re outside when doing this because the fumes can be dangerous.

 

 

It is awesome to go camping even when the weather conditions are not perfect. Don’t let the rain leave you hungry and frustrated, instead, prepare and take all the camping gear needed to feel comfortable in the rain. Stay dry and enjoy your wilderness meal.

 

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We live in a beautiful world, get out there and enjoy it.

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stef-zisovska

stef-zisovska is one of the authors writing for Outdoor Revival